The present invention relates to the security devices applicable notably to the transportation of precious or confidential documents, objects and funds or the monitoring of objects of value.
Amongst the security devices for transporting funds, protected cases are known, having means of neutralising documents or bank notes which they contain, by dispersing ink notably making the notes unusable.
The aforementioned neutralisation means include, for example, a pyrotechnic triggering system in the event of an attempt at forcible entry, the triggering system being parameterisable.
However, a protected case has the drawback of containing a limited number of notes in comparison with the large volume of ink which it must contain in order to ensure neutralisation of these notes.
Moreover, the use of protected cases often requires providing transportation vehicles, whilst providing in a vehicle compartments for receiving cases and providing these compartments with means of detecting the removal of each case out of its compartment.
Such arrangements are complex and expensive.
The invention aims to mitigate the drawbacks of the existing art by creating a control/command device ensuring control of the neutralisation and/or destruction of bank notes or documents whilst they are being transported notably in armored vehicles using radio frequency technologies.
The invention also aims to create such a control/command device for ensuring the monitoring of confidential documents or objects on their storage place.
According to the present invention, there is provided a control/command device for monitoring, neutralisation and/or destruction of valuables, documents and/or objects, wherein the control/command device includes at least one target device intended to be placed in the immediate vicinity of valuables, at least one document or an object to be monitored, neutralised and/or destroyed, at least one radio transmitter of signals containing information relating on the one hand to the target device and on the other hand to the valuables, document or object in the vicinity of which it is placed, the target device comprising an antenna for receiving signals coming from said transmitter, means connected to the said antenna for recognising in the signals of said transmitter the information concerning at least the target device placed in the vicinity of the valuables, document and/or object, means of detecting any abnormality in said signals, and controlling intervention means to indicate any incident in the monitoring of the object or proceeding with the neutralisation and/or destruction of the valuables or said at least one document.
The transmitter may have a range defining a predetermined security perimeter and the abnormality detection means may be means of detecting the exit of the target device out of the security perimeter of the transmitter through absence of reception of the signal from the transmitter.
The signals coming from the transmitter received by the target device may have a predetermined repetition rate and the abnormality detection means also can include means of detecting signals received outside the repetition rate.
The abnormality detection means can include a microprogrammed system connected to the antenna by a radio frequency coupler. It can also have associated with the antenna, a device for storing an electronic label identifying the target device and the valuables, document or object in the vicinity of which it is placed.
The abnormality detection means may have in the premises of at least one fund management or transportation company, an apparatus for monitoring bags of valuables to be transported, with which there are associated target devices, the control apparatus comprising a transceiver of radio frequency signals activating the target devices in a predetermined security perimeter, defined by the transmitter of the transceiver of the monitoring apparatus and the target devices each having means of detecting the absence of activation signals because the target devices have left the security perimeter of the control and command apparatus of the means of intervention by neutralisation and/or destruction of the valuables contained in the bags.
The abnormality detection means may have means associated with the transceiver for transmitting to the electronic label storage device of each target device data identifying the target device and the valuables contained in the bag with which the target bag is associated; it may also be connected to a central compatibility system or to an integrated company management system for receiving from the said system information relating to the identification target devices and to the valuables contained in the bags with which they are associated.
The abnormality detection means may also have at least one vehicle for transporting funds intended to receive the bags of valuables to be transported with which the target devices are associated, the vehicle comprising a transceiver for radio frequency signals activating the target devices in a predetermined security perimeter defined by the transceiver of the said vehicle, the means of detecting the absence of activation and control signals for the intervention means of each of the target devices reacting to the target devices leaving the security perimeter of the vehicle in order to control the intervention means for neutralising and/or destroying the valuables contained in the said bags.
The transceiver of said at least one vehicle may be in connection with a remote monitoring unit provided with a transceiver intended to receive alarm signals coming from the vehicle in the event of attack and to send, in response to the said alarm signals, to target devices situated in the vehicle, actuation signals outside the repetition rate of the activation signals of the target devices to enable the abnormality detection means to control the intervention means with a view to neutralising and/or destroying the valuables contained in the bags with which the target devices are associated.
The monitoring unit may be construction to send, to the target devices made active, information relating to the identity of the corresponding bags currently being loaded and possibly to the value of their content.
The monitoring unit may also have, in the premises of at least one company for managing or transporting bank notes, at least one apparatus for controlling the valuables delivered to the company by a transportation vehicle with which target devices are associated, the control apparatus comprising a transceiver of radio frequency signals activating the target devices in a predetermined security perimeter defined by the transmitter of the transceiver, the means of detecting the absence of activation signals contained in each target device when a target device leaves the security perimeter controlling the intervention means with a view to neutralising and/or destroying the valuables contained in the bag with which the said target device is associated.
The control apparatus may be a fixed or portable apparatus.
The said control apparatus may be formed by a gateway.
The transceiver of the control apparatus may be associated with means of activating the target devices when the target devices are inside protected premises of a company.